Welcome to my web page! I am a faculty member in the Psychology Department at the University of Southern California. You will find here a brief summary of my research, with various links to other information.
Research
My research involves the study of heredity and environment in producing individual differences in human behavior. I have studied various domains of human characteristics, including cognitive abilities, personality, gender roles, and positive and negative affect. I am particularly interested in the roots of aggression and antisocial behavior in adolescent and young adult twins.
I coordinate the Southern California Twin
Project, which includes a large registry of school-age twins in the
Click here for a list of my Publications.
Professional Affiliations
I am a member of the following professional societies:
Behavior Genetics Association;
American Psychological Association;
American Psychological Society;
Society for Psychophysiological
Research
American Society of
Human Genetics;
Teaching
I teach courses in:
Multiple
Regression and the General Linear Model (PSYC 503L);
Multivariate
Statistics (PSYC 575);
Human Diversity: The
Psychology of Individual Differences (PSYC 300);
Behavior
Genetics (PSYC 438); and
Genetics, Evolution, and Behavior (PSYC 401).
Graduate Students
I currently supervise five graduate students in the Ph.D. programs in Psychology and Neuroscience at USC:
Mo
Zheng (Psychology - Quantitative)
Serena
Bezdjian (Psychology - Clinical Neuroscience)
Josh
Isen (Psychology - Clinical Neuroscience)
Josh
Wyner (Neuroscience)
Pan
Wang (Psychology – Quantitative)
Marissa
Ericson (Psychology – Clinical Neuroscience)
Past graduate students trained in my laboratory
include: Dr. Samuel Posner (Research Associate, Center for Disease Control,
Atlanta GA), Dr. Chandra Reynolds (Assistant Professor, UC Riverside); Dr.
Intelligent,
highly motivated students interested in pursuing the genetic basis of complex
human behavior are always invited to apply for study in my laboratory.
Undergraduate Students
There are numerous research opportunities for undergraduates in my laboratory, including both paid and volunteer positions. Eligible students may apply for unit credit through PSYC 490 or similar independent study programs in other departments. Qualifying Juniors may be considered for the Honors Program in Psychology, and disadvantaged minority individuals should consider applying for the McNair Scholar Program. Students currently working in my lab are Ninive Sanchez and Jessica Ramirez. Students are encouraged to fully engage in all aspects of research, including data analysis and publication of results.
High School Students
Several high school students have also participated in my research laboratory, through the Honors Research Program at Marlborough High School. Past students include Jamyce Oxley, Cody Dashiel-Earp, and Joanna Powell (all currently undergraduates at Yale), and Erica Toews with research projects involving refinement of laboratory aggression measures, as well as genetic bases of sensory gating in children. Currently, Lauren Kinrich is working in my research lab, on a project involving peer influences on behavioral problems in children and adolescents.
Diversions
You might want to visit the web page of my book club, which includes a partial list of the books we've discussed in the last few years.
This page was last updated October 26, 2006.
